If you do your nails at home…

[TheThingOnTheIce]

What do you use others than standard nail polish ?
I’ve spent a fortune on powder dips and I’ve been using them a few years and just can not get them right or get them to last .

Essie good as new as base, then polish. Then essie top coat.

Last a week.

A sally hensen? Boots gel colour and top coat lasts ages

I’ve used Sensationail and Mylee but am now really loving Essie Gel Couture. It’s fab and no lamps. I use the base coat, 2 or 3 coats of colour, then the top coat. Then, e wry 3 or 4 days I add a coat of colour and top coat. It lasts about 2 weeks and looks great. I could probably stretch it out longer but it can start to look a bit dodgy, depending on original application

I’ve just had a look at the Lily & Fox
so it’s £1.99 and free p&p? And lasts a month with a top coat? Seems too good to be true ?

Lily & Fox would last me about a week and I work with my hands in a heavy manual job BUT you get the odd one or two just fall off occasionally, and that’s when I had done a coat of clear varnish on top. You get what you pay for. They also take ages to arrive.

How long is the application and removal process? I wouldn’t mind them not lasting so long but these powder dips take HOURS which I wouldn’t mind if they last the 3 weeks they claim to

I’ve tried various gels and I don’t think I am doing it right, I follow the instructions but the gel just seems to peel off, sometimes just a few hours after doing them. I prep, use a dehydrator wipe, base coat, colour and then top coat but they always look rubbish, even putting glue on acrylics doesn’t last either - when I last got them done at a salon they lasted almost five weeks, there was regrowth but the nails and polish felt secure.

@chergarmy gels in the salon would have lasted til they grew out but as a single parent now I no longer have the time for appointments

I found they took me ages to put on but I’m crap at things like this haha! At least an hour I would say. They came off pretty quickly with nail varnish remover for me as they aren’t cured.

Nails Inc base, two coats of colour - usually nails Inc, Essie or Rimmel, nails Inc top coat.
I cut my nails, file to shape, then buff to remove shine, clean with acetone which also dehydrates and preps the nail.
I get at least 7 days out of each manicure this way.

Press on nails - either Opul Nails or Holy Grail Nails

Gel wraps - have only tried Holy Gels so far. You need a UV lamp for these but they sell a little one for £20